Bevy of past and present area standouts selected on MLB Draft's Day 3

Saturday

While the first two days of the MLB 2013 draft registered barely of blip on the local athletic scene, the third and final day proved fruitful for area prospects.

And more specifically prospects from Niceville, which saw four current and former Northwest Florida State College standouts and two Eagle Alums taken.

While the first two days of the MLB 2013 draft registered barely of blip on the local athletic scene, the third and final day proved fruitful for area prospects.

And more specifically prospects from Niceville, which saw four current and former Northwest Florida State College standouts and two Eagle Alums taken.

Former Eagles Danny Collins and Chase Darhower got snatched up in the 13th and 14th rounds, respectively, Raider alum Trae Santos was taken in the 17th round, and Raider centerfielder Chris Madera was selected in the 33rd round. That followed up the ninth-round, first-day selection of former Raider Conner Kendrick, who was selected by the New York Yankees in the ninth round with the 284th pick. Also selected was Choctawhatchee senior Bryan Baker, a 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound right-hander who was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates with pick No. 1,199 in the final round.

“It’s a great day for us to have these guys who have been a part of our program at some point in time be recognized by professional baseball and deemed worthy of playing at that level,” Raider skipper Doug Martin said of the drafted Raiders. “We’re certainly proud of them and thrilled that in some shape, fashion or form that we helped them reach that level. That’s what our program is about, to help these kids develop, move on and become a part of something bigger … and MLB is certainly that.”

Kendrick, a junior left-hander for Auburn University whose collegiate journey first began at Georgia Tech before transferring to NWF State, went 5-3 this past season with a 2.13 ERA in 80 1/3 innings and led the Tigers with 75 strikeouts. That followed a sophomore campaign in Niceville where the 6-4, 195-pound 21-year-old went 5-5 with a 4.46 ERA over a team-high 76 2/3 innings, struck out a team-best 84, and held opponents to a .246 batting average against.

Collins, who was recently named a first-team All-American after a transformative junior campaign at Troy, was selected by the Pirates with the 389th pick. The 6-2, 205-pound right fielder led the team with 29 extra-base hits, 149 total bases, a .631 slugging percentage, a 1.083 OPS (On-base plus slugging) and 11 hit by pitches. He was second on the team with 11 home runs, a .360 batting average, 68 RBIs (only five RBIs shy of tying Tom King's Troy single-season record of 73 set in 2006), 85 hits, a .452 on-base percentage and a .992 fielding percentage, and was third with 62 runs.

In 2011 at NWF State, where Collins transferred after redshirting at Alabama, the 22-year-old hit .419 with 12 doubles and 11 home runs, and he was named a second-team All-American after garnering first team all-region and all-district and Panhandle Conference Player of the Year.

Darhower, a 6-4, 215-pound right-hander who transferred from the University of Central Florida to NWF State, was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the 414th pick. Darhower threw just 8 1/3 innings in 2013, not allowing a run and striking out four.

Santos, a left-handed first baseman at Troy who slugged a team-best 18 home runs and 70 RBIs as a junior, was taken by the San Diego Padres with the 508th pick. During his two years in Niceville, the 6-1, 235-pound 20-year-old slugged 11 homers, drove in 70 RBIs and earned all-conference at both first base (second team) and as a designated hitter (first team).

Madera, taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 978th pick, was named Panhandle Defensive Player of the Year after committing just two errors and sporting a .985 fielding percentage with his sure glove, strong right arm and expansive speed in center. Along with his defensive prowess, the Dominican Republic native and sophomore led the team with 41 runs and 23 stolen bases while putting up a .341 batting average, 31 RBIs, 57 hits, 78 total bases, and 16 extra-base hits.

Capping off the drafted players was Baker, who has committed to play at the University of North Florida. Baker went 4-2, struck out 66 in 37 1/3 innings, sported a .75 ERA and .72 WHIP, and held opposing batters to a .109 average in 2013.

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